Your taste buds don't care who invented the chimichanga, but how true is the story about it being accidentally created right here in Arizona?
One story goes that the famous Mexican entrée was invented by Woody Johnson, founder of Macayo's Mexican Kitchen. Woody always swore that the chimi belonged to him, that he crafted the very first one known to man in 1946, when he put a burrito into a deep-fat fryer at Woody's El Nido, the diner that later became Macayo's in 1952. His fried burritos became so popular, Woody claimed, that people lined up outside his new restaurant for what he called chimichangas.
But Monica Flin, owner of Tucson's El Charro restaurant, always claimed that it was she who named and invented the chimichanga, after accidently dropping a burro into a fryer in the early 1920s. She reportedly yelled the nonsense word "chimichanga!" following her mistake and, if you believe this tale, a Mexican-American menu item was born.
Then there's the version of the story that gives the dish back to its people: Chivichangas, small, deep-fried burritos, have long been a staple of Sinaloan cuisine. It's thought that the Sinaloans brought chimis with them through Nogales into Arizona in the late 19th century.
Quite honestly, we don't care who invented it. As long as it's deep-fried, filled with chili con carne, and covered in sour cream and guacamole, we'll believe whatever you tell us about the chimichanga.
